Wire obstacle warning system

Abstract

A system including a linear CCD sensor array included in a gated optical ar which is particularly adapted to permit pattern recognition of wire or wire-like obstacles during low level flight of the radar platform, e.g. helicopters or the like. The system provides a display and/or automatic warning to the pilot of the location of impending danger so that evasive action may be taken with as little human operator function as possible being required to perform the detection and recognition phase.

I claim: 
     
       1. A detection, location and recognition system for wire type obstacles, comprising in combination: a pulsed source of electromagnetic energy of a frequency/wavelength capable of being transmitted to and reflected from a wire type obstacle;   means coupled to said pulsed source and providing a scanned beam of pulsed electromagnetic energy from said source to said obstacle and receiving reflected energy therefrom;   image forming means including output means coupled to said reflected energy for generating an image of the returned energy of each beam of pulse energy on said photo output means;   a detector comprised of a linear charge coupled device (CCD) image sensor having N photosites which are adapted to be responsive to photo energy and being adapted to be serially read out to logic signal processor means;   scanning means located between said image forming means and said detector and being adapted to provide M sequential scans of said image on said photo output means to couple photo energy thereat to said linear CCD image sensor;   logic signal processor means coupled to said detector and being responsive to each sequential serial output from said linear CCD sensor to determine the presence of a charge signal at least one photosite with an absence of charge signals at photosites on either side of said at least one photosite and providing a digital output signal indicative of said charge signal;   a digital memory coupled to and synchronously operated with said processor means and being operable to store said digital output signal and the location thereof relative to said N photosites for said linear CCD sensor; and   means coupled to said memory for providing a composite output of said digital signals in said memory to provide an indication of a substantial linear arrangement of said digital signals to indicate the presence of a wire type object.   
     
     
       2. The system as defined by claim 1 wherein said pulsed source of electromagnetic energy comprises an optical energy source including an illuminator. 
     
     
       3. The system as defined by claim 2 wherein said means for providing a scanned beam includes optical scanner means and optics for forming a fan shaped beam of a relatively narrow width relative to its length. 
     
     
       4. The system as defined by claim 3 wherein said scanner means additionally includes driver means coupled thereto for effecting a predetermined scan pattern of said beam. 
     
     
       5. The system as defined by claim 4 wherein said image forming means comprises a gated optical image intensifier device which is gated off when said scanned beam is directed to said obstacle and is gated on thereafter for receiving reflected return energy coupled thereto, and additionally including receiver optics for coupling reflected returned energy to said image intensifier device. 
     
     
       6. The system as defined by claim 5 and additionally including means for synchronously operating said scanning means with the gating of said image intensifier device. 
     
     
       7. The system as defined by claim 4 and additionally including charge signal amplifier means coupled between said linear CCD sensor and said logic signal processor means and being operative to provide a plurality of output signals indicative of at least three consecutive photosites. 
     
     
       8. The system as defined by claim 7 wherein said logic signal processor means is operative to determine the presence of signal at one photosite and the absence of charge signal at the nearest photosite on either side thereof. 
     
     
       9. The system as defined by claim 7 wherein said signal processor means is adapted to determine the presence of signal at two immediately adjacent photosites with an absence of charge signal at the nearest photosite on either side of said two photosites. 
     
     
       10. The system as defined by claim 7 wherein said charge signal amplifier means comprises a distributed floating gate amplifier providing three charge output signals corresponding to three consecutive photosites of said N photosites. 
     
     
       11. The system as defined by claim 10 wherein said logic signal processor means includes digital logic circuit means responsive to said three charge signal output signals and being operative to provide a digital output signal of a predetermined binary value for the presence of a charge signal at one photosite with an absence of charge signal at the nearest photosites on either side. 
     
     
       12. The system as defined by claim 1 and additionally including an aircraft having a stabilized platform means upon which said system is mounted, and wherein said platform is slaved to the aircraft' s flight vector. 
     
     
       13. The system as defined by claim 1 wherein said means for providing a composite output comprises a video display device.